Tag: introduction to natural resources (eco)

Process of conversion of fertile land into barren land over a course of time is called desertification. The ecological implications of desertification are

• Lowering of water table
  
• Increase in area under wastelands
  
• Increase in frequency and intensity of droughts
  

Thar Desert which is located in the state of Rajasthan is advancing at an alarming rate of about 0.5 km per year

This is attributed to the desertification due to soil degradation. Process of conversion of fertile land into barren land over a course of time is called desertification

• Process of conversion of fertile land into barren land over a course of time is called desertification
  
• Among the given options both overgrazing and reckless felling of trees is responsible for desertification.
  

Indira Gandhi canal is one of the important irrigation canals of India. It starts from Firozpur of Punjab and terminates its irrigation facilities in Thar Desert of Rajasthan. The canal traverses seven districts of Rajasthan namely Barmer, Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Sriganganagar. Without this canal, entire Rajasthan would have been a desert.

Process of conversion of fertile land into barren land over a course of time is called desertification

Deserts cover 20 to 33% of the Earth’s land surface, and can be found in the tropics, at the poles, and in many places of the earth. Desert soils are formed where there is scanty rainfall.

Soil erosion is the loss of top fertile layer of soil either by wind or by water.

India is facing this problem in many parts. The area affected by soil erosion is 5, 00,000 square kilometres. It adversely affects productivity and economy of the country.

If the soil erosion is by wind it is called wind erosion

Desertification is mainly caused by wind erosion

• Trapping of sun’s heat in the earth’s atmosphere due to air pollution is called greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases include water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.
  
• This effect which is responsible for climate change involves the warming of troposphere which is the closest layer of earth’s surface.
  

• IPCC stands for Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change. It is established by United Nations dedicated to the task of providing the world with an objective, scientific view of climate change and its political and economic impacts.
  
• It was formed in the year 1988.
  

• In order to make India more responsive to climate change, Government of India has taken up National Action Plan on Climate Change.
  
• The first national action plan on climate change was released in the year 2008.